Any Other Name Would Do
by wildroses-peonies
Summary: I wrote this drabble many years ago when I was a member of the now defunct Avonlea Forum. It was inspired by all the conversations we had on how to pronounce certain characters names. However, the story itself is centered on Shirley Blythe, who hates his name and wishes he had another. Takes place circa the Rainbow Valley years.


Shirley hated his name. It was an odd name-not John or Gilbert or any  
>decent sort of name. And they still named him Shirley! Shirley finally<br>couldn't stand it any longer. He must have a talk with father over being  
>named Shirley.<p>

"Of all the names-why Shirley?!" asked Shirley passionately. He was a  
>boy-a man!-after all! Not the wonderkind that Jem was-or the poet that<br>Walter was-but he was still...

"Shirley is a nice way of honoring your heritage. You should be proud to  
>have it." Father gravely answered. Gilbert could see no reason why Shirley<br>should complain about being named Shirley.

"We aren't the Drews, after all." Gilbert reminded his son.

Shirley thought silently, "well, I might as well be one with a name like  
>Shirley." He left Father and went to Mother. Mother would understand.<p>

"Mother, why the name Shirley? Why not Gilbert or John instead as my name?"  
>Shirley asked gently.<p>

Mother replied with a smile, "because Gilbert and John are names that don't  
>belong to you. You wouldn't be our Shirley if you were called any other<br>name."

"Well, when I have a child, maybe I'll name him Blythe!" Shirley exclaimed  
>indignantly. Mother who insisted on spelling her name with an e-and who<br>once wanted to be called Cordelia didn't understand! Well,-

Mother was trying to smother a laugh. Shirley perked up and made one last  
>comment before heading away. "Blythe Blythe is funny to you. Well, why<br>isn't-" but Shirley stopped. Mother was a Shirley even if he didn't like  
>being named Shirley.<p>

Shirley didn't dare go to Susan. Shirley had known since he was born that  
>Susan thought him perfect. Well, likely she too has something to do with the<br>naming of him Shirley. He knew it was Susan who had convinced everybody that  
>he was (and he was) her "little brown boy." Shirley pushed the thought away.<br>Being referred to as little was even worse than being called Shirley.

Susan had actually objected to Shirley's being called Shirley. But Dr. and  
>Mrs. Dr. Dear were such stubborn people.<p>

"It isn't a decent name for a boy," she had protested.

"Susan, we aren't the Drews, and we aren't naming him something like Bertie  
>Shakespeare." Anne argued. Besides, Shirley was her family name.<p>

"William Shakespeare wouldn't be William Shakespeare if he had been called  
>Billy Shakespeare. And Shirley wouldn't be our son if we called him anything<br>else," said Gilbert rushing to Anne's defense. Susan had been so good to  
>Anne and him by taking care of Shirley these past few months while Anne<br>recovered-and now Susan wouldn't quit this nonsense over Shirley's name.

Susan eventually gave up. She eventually came to love that Shirley was  
>called Shirley. Well, the Dr. and Mrs. Dr. Dear knew their stuff when they<br>chose that perfect name for the most perfect boy-the most perfect  
>child-Susan had ever known.<p>

At school, none of the boys made fun of Shirley. However, Shirley  
>was-forgotten. Well, who would want to associate with someone named<br>Shirley?! Shirley had yet to figure out that it was his quiet  
>personality-and not his name-that made the other boys forget about his<br>presense.

Shirley saw Una. He let out his troubles and miseries over being called a  
>name like Shirley. Una was a few years older than he, and Shirley didn't<br>know Una that well, but maybe she would understand. Una seemed to understand  
>and sympathize with him. After he finished his rant, she said, "I know a<br>little of what you feel like. Nobody can pronounce my name. I hear You-na,  
>Ooh-na, Un-na, and even Un-NAY. Considering it is only 3 letters, no one is<br>satisfied on how to pronounce it." Una knew that their weren't that many  
>pronouciations of Una, but she was trying to make Shirley feel better.<p>

"Well, Shirley is easy to pronounce-thank goodness for that!" Shirley  
>exclaimed gratefully. But it was still Shirley for all that.<p>

Una continued on. "Still, I am glad I am named Una and not Ilse. It has got  
>even more tongues tied than my name. I'll, Ill-see, Il-sa, Il-za, I'll-see,<br>I'll-sa, El-see, El-sa, Ells-a and I am sure many more pronouciations." Una  
>breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Ilse wasn't her name. She then<br>looked at Shirley. Her tactics seemed to be working. Shirley seemed to be  
>coming around and feeling better about his name. And, Una privately thought,<br>if she ever had a little boy, Shirley would be a good name to name him. But  
>she didn't tell Shirley that, who was looking rather awed.<p>

"Something with only 3 or 4 letters shouldn't be so hard to pronounce."  
>Shirley was in shock as he uttered the words. It was just a complete eye opener to<br>him that Una and Ilse could have so many pronouciations.

"Un-na!" "OOOH-na!" "You-NA!" Una's friends were calling for her. School was  
>finished and Shirley needed to get home and get his thoughts together. And<br>Una was talking to her friends.

Shirley reflected that he was glad he wasn't name Una or Ilse. Life had to  
>be so hard with names like. But, Shirley thought triumphantly, "it is still<br>not as bad as being called Shirley!"

When Shirley got home, he stopped and looked at Gilbert and Anne and Susan.  
>Before they could even utter hi, he made a beeline to his room.<p>

When Shirley reached his room, he grabbed a piece of paper and penned a  
>promise to himself.<p>

"I, Shirley, will never name my child Una, Ilse, or Shirley, whether it be a  
>boy or girl. I shall give the child an easy name to pronounce."<p>

Shirley posted noted his promise with "and I shall not give any boy the name  
>of Shirley."<p>

THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END


End file.
